Positive valve actuation in nonoverfill devices



April 11, 1944.

C. L. KELLER POSITIVE VALVE ACTUATION IN NONOVERFILL DEVICES Filed March 19, 1940 25 m JJIG.6:

INVENTOR. CHA/ZLES L. KELLEQ.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 11, 1944 POSITIVE VALVE ACTUATION IN NON- OVERFILL DEVICES Charles L. Keller, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Richardson Company, Lockland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application March 19, 1940, Serial No. 324,825

6 Claims.

My invention relates to electric storage battery practice wherein overfilling of the cell is prevented; and it relates to a type of device in which there is a tubular extension at the filling opening terminating downwardly at a point of desired maximum electrolyte level. Thus when the electrolyte reaches the end of the tubular extension, it rises rapidly therein so that overfilling is prevented. Yet a considerable space beneath the cell cover above the bottom of the tubular extension is left free of electrolyte for gas collection purposes. Therefore, after the filling operation has been completed, it is necessary to vent this space separately.

Various ways have been suggested for doing this in co-pending applications in my name, .in the name of Rieser, and in the name of Millenaar. In a number of these devices the valve mechanism is located in the filler opening of the cell cover. This I avoid in my present invention. Millenaar, in application Serial No. 304,591, filed November 15, 1939, has suggested a valve structure operating as a relief valve, located offside to the filler opening, whereby the filler opening is left unobstructed, and separately vented to the atmosphere.

This construction is an excellent one in practical operation; but on bench tests it has the disadvantage of occasionally producing some spray. On the other hand it is not possible to vent the valve housing into the filler well (so that the filler well could act as a trap) in instances wherethe valve member has a weight suilicient to counterbalance the fullweight of a'column of liquid in the tubular extension of the filler opening. The weight of the valve member remains the same, and if it counterbalances the electrolyte when the filler cap is off it Will similarly counterbalance the electrolyte when the filler cap is in place.

An advantage and object of my invention is that it permits the use of an offside valve vented into the filler opening so that the filler opening can act as a trap for electrolyte.

Other advantages and objects of my invention are the provision of a valve member which is opened by positive mechanical action, and in general the provision of a relatively cheap, easily replaceable but positive stiucture.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be set forth hereinafter or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading this specification. Reference is made to the drawing wherein:

Figure l. is a longitudinal sectional view through a cell cover showing on'e form of my invention.

cross section or square or oblong,

Fig. 2 is a. partial sectional view of another form of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a Valve seat member employed in the embodiment of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the employment of a type of valve member which has a tilting action.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a member embodying a ball valve and a separate means for operating the valve.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the employment of a pivoted valve.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a fitting employed in connection with the pivoted valve.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing the employment of a mechanically actuated ball valve.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the structure of Fig. 8 taken from the bottom.

In,the various embodiments of my invention herein described, I employ a cell cover l withthe usual filler opening 2, adapted to be closed by a 'filler cap 3. The filler opening is provided with a tubular extension 4, terminating downwardly at a desired maximum electrolyte level. Offside from the filler opening in my various structures I provide what may be termed an. inverted well in which I house a valve member. Considering Fig. 1, the inverted well is indicated at 5. It is a hollow portion formed in the body of the plastic from which the cell cover is made, closed above and open downwardly. It may conveniently be made by hollowing out one of the mold members and inserting a plug of the required shape. The inverted well may be circular in or have such other shape as may be dictated by the nature of the valve member employed. The closed top of the inverted well may be on a level with the general top of the cell cover or above it, as desired. It will be located adjacent the filler well; but may be located in any radial respect to the filler well. If it extends above the storage battery.

The construction thus far described does not complicate the manufacture of the cell cover. When the cell cover has been formed as indicated, I bore a hole 6 from the inverted well to This may readil be suitable drill mechanism in the insp z i sn iin for finished covers. A weight actuated valve member 1 having a valve head portion and an extension is placed within the inverted well so that the extension passes through the perforation 6 and projects slightly into the filler well. Next I insert into the end of the inverted Well a valve seat member 8 in the form of a plug perforated as at 9. This may merely be given a press fit in the open end of the well. Its upper portion is shaped concavely, so that the valve member I when free will rest upon it, will close the perforation 9. If the valve member is of sufficient weight, the cell cannot be overfilled for the reason I have set forth above. The filler cap 3 is a filler cap of ordinary construction having a hollow body, vented at the top, and preferably containing a splash washer ID. The filler well and filler cap will be threaded or otherwise configured to permit engagement. When the filler cap is in place, the lower end of it presses on the extension of the valve member I; and the well body adjacent the perforation 6 acts as a fulcrum. The valve is thus lifted from its seat on the member 8. Gas collecting above the electrolyte may now escape to the open air through the perforation 9 in the valve seat, perforation 6 between the inverted well and the filler well, and the vent perforation in the filler plug. Any electrolyte carried into the valve housing or inverted well 5, and

failing to runback through the perforation 9 will merely be carried into the filler well which will act as a trap for it, returning it to the cell proper.

In Fig. 2, a somewhat more elaborate valve structure is shown. Here the inverted well 5a is made man elongated form. The same perforation 6 is made between this well and the filler well. The valve member la is provided with two ball-like parts H and I2, connected by a portion l3, and having a projection l4 extending through the perforation B into the filler well.

the skirt of the filler plug 3 contacts the projection 14, the valve member rocks on the ball H in the socket l5 and the valve is opened, as will be clear.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a type of structure in which the valve rocks on an edge. The filler well and other attendant parts are the same as shown in Fig. 1. The valve, however, consists of a body l1, flat on the bottom. Near its upper edge it has a projection I8 extending through the perforation 6. When the filler plug contacts this projection'and presses it downwardly the valve member [1 rocks on its edge A. The plug 8b, perforated as at 9 has a fiat upper surface in this instance, permitting the rocking action.

In Fig. 5 the parts of the cell cover may be the same as in Fig. 1, though in this instance we have illustrated the inverted well 5?) as being formed partly above the general level of the top of the cell cover. The plu device 8, 9 is the same as in Fig. 1. For the valve I employ a ball IS. The ball is mechanically operated to raise it from the seat 8 by a washer shaped member 20 having a projection 2| extending through the perforation 6. The member 20, 2| is lighter than the ball so that it does not interfere with the action of the ball as a weight-operated valve member. The

perforation in the member 20, 21 is, however, smaller than the diameter of the ball, so that The valve seat portion is perforated as at 9a. In operation, when when the member is rocked the ball will be raised from its seat, as will be clear.

In the structure of Figure 6, the filler well may be the same, and is so marked; but the inverted well 50 is preferably made square in cross section. The valve is an angularly shaped body having a weight portion 22 and a vertical portion 23. At the meeting angle of these two parts, I provide a pair of pivot pins 24. It is intended that the left wall of the filler well in Figure 6 constitute the valve seat, and the vertical portion 23 the valve proper. Hence my preference for a square well in which the left wall may be fiat, though other shapes of wall and valve are permissible. I provide a U-shaped device 25 (Figure '7) to retain the valve in position. This may be made of the same material as the cell cover if desired. To provide seats for the pivot pins 24, the corners of the fitting 25 are cut away as at 26. The fitting is made of a size to have a frictional fit in the well. The vertical portion 23 has a projection 26 extending through the perforation 6 in the wall of the filler well, for actuation by the filler cap 3. The operation of the mechanism will be clear.

In still another structure (Figs. 8 and 9) the filler well is provided with an annular bottom; and the tubular extension 29, which is open through the bottom, is of lesser diameter than the filler well. The inverted well 5d, of elongated cross section, is formed so as to intersect and communicate with the filler well as shown. A valve seat member 30 is pressed into the inverted well. It is perforated as at 3|; and adjacent the perforation on the upper surface it is made concave to form a seat for the ball 32. The conto provide an incline down which the ball can roll (should it be displaced to the right) to bring it again onto the seat in such manner that it closes the perforation 3|. When the ball is resting on the seat in valve-closing position, a portion of the ball extends into the filler well as shown. Thus, when the filler cap 3 is put into position, the skirt on the filler cap will act to displace the ball 32 to the right, thus opening the valve. The configuration of parts will be such, of course, as not to close the communication between the filler well and the inverted well.

, Modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit of it.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a storage battery cell cover having a top and depending edge portions providing a hollow body, a filler well having a tubular extension terminating downwardly at a desired maximum electrolyte .level with respect to the top of said cell cover, and an inverted well formed in said cell cover adjacent said filler well, said inverted well having a bottom which is the top of said cell cover, and depending wall portions one of which is common to said inverted well and said filler well, said filler well and inverted well having a common perforation in said common wall whereby they communicate, a perforated plug member adapted to close the open end of said inverted well and shaped to provide a valve seat adjacent the perforation therein, a valve member located in said inverted well and 'adapted to close said perforation by gravity, said valvemember, when in the gravity-actuated position, having a part extending into said filler well and through aseae e said common perforation, whereby said valve member may be actuated to a non-gravitational position by the insertion of a vented filler plug in said filler well.

2. In a storage battery cell cover having a top and depending edge portions thereon formin a hollow body, a filler well having a tubular extension terminating downwardly at a desired maximum electrolyte level with respect to the top of said cell cover, an inverted well formed in said cell cover adjacent said filler well, said inverted well having a bottom which is the top of said cell cover, and depending wall portions one of which is common to said inverted well and said filler well, said filler well and inverted well having a common perforation in said common wall whereby they communicate, a perforated plug closing the open end of said inverted well and shaped to provide a valve seat whereby a valve member can be caused by gravity to close said perforation, and a valve member located in said filler well, and having a body located entirely within said inverted Well and actuable by gravity to close said perforation, and an extension on said body passing through said common perforation, whereby the insertion of a vented filler plug in said filler well can be caused to actuate said valve to a non-gravitational position.

3. The structure claimed in claim 2 wherein said body and said extension are integral and wherein said extension is in the form of a lever and fulcrums on said common perforation.

4. The structure claimed in claim 2 wherein the body of said valve member is a ball and said extending part is a member having a portion embracing said ball and a portion extending through said common perforation.

5. In a storage battery cell cover having a top and edgewise depending portions forming a hollow body, a filler well in said top having a bottom, a tubular extension of lesser diameter on said filler well, open through said bottom, and depending therefrom to a desired maximum electrolyte level with respect to said top, and an inverted well formed in said cell cover adjacent said filler well and tubular extension, said inverted well having a bottom which is the top of said cell cover, and depending wall portions one of which is common to said inverted well, said filler well, its bottom and a portion of said tubular extension, a perforated plug closing the open end of said inverted Well and being so shaped above as to provide a valve seat about said perforation for a ball valve member, and being so shaped elsewhere as to cause said ball member to position itself on said seat by gravity, a ball lie valve member, the said wall portion common to said filler well and said inverted well, being cut away to such an extent that said inverted well communicates with said filler well and the ball, while resting on said seat, will have a portion entering said filler well, whereby a vented filler plug inserted in said filler well can be caused to displace said ball from said seat.

6. In a storage battery cell cover having a top and depending edge portions providing a hollow body, a filler well threaded for the acceptance of a filler plug, said filler well having a tubular extension terminating downwardly at a desired maximum electrolyte level with respect to the top of said cell cover, an inverted well formed in Said cell cover adjacent said filler well, a perforated closure member adapted to close the open end of said inverted well, said plug having a perforation therein for the passage of gas, being shaped as to its upper surface to provide a valve seat for a ball valve whereby such a valve may cover and close said perforation by gravity, and being further so shaped in a direction extending away from said filler well to provide a ramp down which such a ball valve will move by gravity to reach said valve seat, a ball valve member in said inverted well and retained therein by said closure member, said inverted well having an imperforate bottom which is the top of said cell cover, and depending walls joined to walls of said filler well, one of said walls at least being common to said filler well and said inverted well and containing a perforation, the shape of said filler well and of said inverted well being so related that when said ball valve member rests upon said seat a substantial portion of its body, though less than half, extends through said perforation in the common wall and into the filler well in a position to be moved back into the inverted wall by a filler plug upon its insertion into the filler well, whereby the said ball valve member is moved up said ramp and away from said seat, and a vented filler plug for engagement in said filler well and capable of moving said ball valve member as aforesaid, whereby ga may be vented from the cell of a storage battery covered by said cell cover, said gas passing first into said inverted well through the perforation in said closure member, then into the filler well through the perforation in said common wall and thence to the atmosphere through the vented filler plug, the said closure member being located a substantial distance above the downward terminus of said tubular extension.

CHARLES L. KELLER. 

